Fuel burner



D. E. LAIN FUEL BURNER Sept. 1, 1931.

Filed June 17, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR,

abe/3u,

Sept. 1-, 1931.

Filed June 17, 1929' D; E. LAIN FUEL BURNER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 30 iil I l 28 /27 Figli INI/EN TOR,

r,Patented Sept. 1, 1931 ,vu/Niven f sraras Partnr OFFICE in Avrn E. LAIN, or BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON FUEL BURNER y Application filed June '17,

n My invention relates to improvements .in fuel burners, especially those in which combustion occurs apart from radiating areas andr it is adapted for the burning of any desired solid fuel both pulverous andkcoarse and while it is more particularly disclosed as a sawdust burner it is also well suited for other solid fuels after making some simple adjustments hereinafter described, and has for an .object to providey a burner in lwhich a vaulted wall, lower controllable draught .inlets and upper controllable draught inlets cooperate to provide lfor complete fuel combustion.`

Another object of my improvement is to provide a burner in which a vaulted wall, controllable lower draught inlets, controllable top draught inlets and controllable automatic fuel feed cooperate to secure complete fuel combustion. i A

rAnother object of my improvement is to provide a gratefoscillative on'l a transverse axis and reciprocative longitudinally with means to retain it in desired operative posi tions. i y L Another objectofrmy improvement is to provide an oscillative fuel-chute baffle operable and retainableby external means to cooperate with.v said grate Vto support the flow of fuel into the burner.r

. Another object of my improvement is to providesaid baffle with a grate extension retainable in a withdrawn position.

.Another object of my improvement is to provide an oscillative',fuel-chute valve icontrollable byexternal means.

Anotherobject of `my improvement is to provide an oscillative fuel-chute valve the most exposed parts of which may be of refrac-4 tory materials disposable to` supplyreverbemtive areas relative tothe mass of burning fuel within the burner. f

Another object of my improvement is to provide a combined'hollo-w oscillative fuelchute valve .and air nozzle having a Vconduit for the delivery of tolga-draught air into the combustion chamber through a lateral out-let setablein desiredpositions inv oscillation by external means.

n Another objectV of my improvementis to 1929. Serial No. 371,545.

provide for conducting the top-draught air through the nozzle and thus avoid raising the fuel adjacent thereto to a destructive temperature and also protect the valve from disintegrating temperatures.

Another object of my improvement is to provide adjustments for said grate, fuelchute baile and combined fuel-chute valve and top ydraught air nozzle suited to the combustion of hand-stoked fuels.

Another object of my improvement is to provide a burner in which the transverse axis ofthe vaulted reverberative wall and the transverse outlet of the top-air conduit and the burningfuel within the furnace may be proximate.

Other objects of my improvement will appear as the description proceeds.

I att-ain these and other objects'of my invention with the mechanism illustrated in the four. sheets yof accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in

` whichfFigure 1 is a side elevation of my burner in section on a medial longitudinal plane. 2 is a transverse section 0f my burner on aplane through vertical line 2 2 in Fi 1: Fig is a bottom plan view of the combined fuel-chute valve and air nozzle, Fig. 4 is a front end elevation of the burner, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the fuel-chute baffle with its extension, grate in place thereon held in a withdrawn position, Fig. 6 is a front side elevation of the burner drawn on a smaller scale, Fig. 7 is a transverse cross section` o-f the grate on the vertical line 7-7 of Fig. l in which the drawing of the grate is limited to the plane section, and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the grate carriage showing the grate support in a folded-down, non-operable position.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout. Certain parts are broken away. to show. other parts hidden thereby.

lith more particular reference to the designated parts; The burner as illustratedv is designedto be set up on a concrete floor 10A in whichr is provided cavity 9 for an ash pit lined with brickwall 11 the top of which projects above the floor level and provides a indicated in general by the numeral 12. The

flue outlet 13 is at the rear and preferably proxima-te to the vfloor of the burner. Front v door opening 14C is vpreferably the full vwidth ofthe eombiistionfchamber Vand extends from near thel lfloorlof Vthe burner to near the top thereof. The *top Wall w12 of the Vburner 'coverstlie forward endthereof and contains fuel opening 1,5. Front door 16 covers front f opening 14 andv preferably is hinged to the front-walland odset, forward to provide 'space' for-front grating 31. Lid 17 closes top opening 15 andVpreferably is hinged to top wall plate 012. It is shown iii its open yposition in full li'nesand-in its closed position infdotted lines'at 1 7. Fuel hopper 18 'K is mounted over topv burner opening andhas base @18 with beveled side lwalls to engagel withv and slide between parallel inclined guide ribs 19, 19, preferably integral-'with top `al2.y"In this'mannerythe hopper is removably engaged in operative position onk top ofthe/burner. Forjlaclrl of space the whole upper part ofthehopper is broken away.

The rear upper and end walls of the burner from the rear of fuel inlet opening 15 to the topof fiu'e outlet 18 preferably arefvaulted .c ,Y in sbap'e about transverse axis through 21 `which preferably is located centrallylongi-` tudinaliy in the main fuelcombustion area. Arch fire bricks A2()l provide suitable refractory lining forthe semi-vaulted ceiling.

Front draft doorl 22 is preferably'horizontaily hingedrto front door 16to cover front draught "opening L22 in inclined draught conduit @23. Through door 22 are draught openings b23coverable by slide 23 thereon. Upper draught openings L24 near the top yof door 16 are coverable by slide l2li niountedfor reciprocation thereon.

Near the bottom of door 16Jisopeni`ng L25 'covered' by pivoted door 25. Through this opening ay shaker may be extended to engage with and operate the lower grate when in its lhorizontal position. l

Tliegrate consists of an upper main grate i framehaving parallel bars'26, and a lower kgrate frame slidable in guides on the upper .frame having parallel bars L26 beneath the upper barsp'aces. yIn' the front endof the slid- ,able' grate frame is opening 626 '.forthe' en- Y gagementof a shaker therewith. At the rear en d` ofthe-main grate frame isbridge 26. Iii'the' bottom edge on the inside thereof of the front end of each of the side rails of the inain grate frame are notches 626 to engage grate-support bar 29. And in the sides at the rear end of the main frame are bearing recesses 026 to engage grate carriage gudgeons 28.V

The grate carriage consists of angle bars 27, 27 vmounted for reeiprocation on the top of the side walls 11, 11 of the ash pit. At the rear ends ofV these angle bars are fastened oppositely disposed gudgeons 28, 28 to engage in bearing recesses 626, as stated, to mount the main frame of the grate for oscillation thereon. On thefront ends of angle bars 27 are pivoted arms 30, 30 atV a30, @30. Said arms are fastened to the ends o-f grate-supporting bar 29 to mount said bar on said pivots for 0scillation. The construction provides for the oscillation of tlieentire grate on said carriage7 the retention thereof in desired operative positions in elevation onbar 29 engaged in :inopposite pair of notches 026, the turning down of bar 29 to its dotted-line position at 29 with its ends bearing on the side walls of the ash pit infront of the forward ends of carriage bars 27 ,the turning down of the eii- Ytire grate to-a horizontal position shown in dotted vlines at 26 with its rear end proximate to ashpit wall 611 its side rails bearing on carriage bars27 and its front rail on turned-down bar 29, and the moving forward of the carriage and grate while the latter is in its horizontal position to itsdotted position at 26 withbar 29 at 29l between the nio end of the grate and the top of thefront end Wall of the ashpit. Vith the grate at 26 draught air may not pass beneath'the rear nor side rails of the grate butmay pass into the aslipitV and beneath the gate between the front end thereof andthe front wall of the ashpit thus promoting combustion in the bottom strata of the burning fuel. However, with the grate in its position at 26, made possible by moving the grate carriage to 27", bar 29 is at 29 between the front end rail of the main grate frame and the top of the front wall of the ashpit preventing the passage of draught air into the ashpit past the front end ofthe grate, and, 'since the'other parts of the lower edge ofthe main grate frame also makes a closure with the rear ashpit wall and the grate carriage, no draft air may pass into the ashpitand combustion is not promoted by the movement of air through the grate. This later grate position is operatively useful in some cases as will4 be explained laterjin thel description. Vith the grate in its'full-line position in elevation, or` at any other desired angle of inclination, the carriage may be moved for- :ward With it to the limit of its movement .in reciprocation.V Thus providing` for other useful operative positions of the grate not illustrated. Door opening 14' is the full fwidth ofthe combustion chamberand grate L,.

.isy in itsposition at l26.

front wall by hinge pinl (L31 and vretainable in operative position by alatch thereon engag'ed'inv catch Z231 on said wall.- In operation grate 31 preferably is disposed across the bottom kpart of door opening 14 with the lower end of its fingers above and proximate to the front end of grate 26 when thelatter Itis also useful when carriage 27 and grate26rare removed from the burner while wood isused for fuel as will bev .noted later. But when operating the burner with the grate ,in any elevated position, as shown in'full lines, front grate 31 isnot neededy and, if so'desi'red, it may be removed by withdrawing hinge pin 0531.v

" Combined fuel-chute valve and air nozzle 32 is transversely disposed within the burner at the lupper part thereofand is nearly the width'of the combustion'chamber. Its hol- 'Q low hub has hollow shafts 35 and 36 fas-y tened inthe ends thereof by boltsa35 and 136 therethrough and'saidshafts are extended through Vbearingsv in the side walls yof the burner to mount the' valve in the combustion chamber vfor oscillation. The valvehub has ,parallel arms 33,33, 33 radiating therefrom andeacharm terminates in aT luginc'lined at lx33, a33'to'ward the hub on bothsides of the arm. The `hubwall isinclinedon both sides of saidr arms at 632, b32toward said lugs vand with them Vprovides slideways on ,ea'ch'side of the arms to retain beveled valvewall bricks 34. Slots-a32, (L32 through the hub wall between said arms joinwith spaces 37 between said bricks to provide va draught air conduit 'from the hollow hub Ainto the combustiony chamber. Dotted arc c32 c32 indicates the path of the lower end of the air nozzle in oscillation.; 1

.' Over 'thefouter ends of hollow shafts y35 and 36 are mounted draught caps 37 37 which have ytriangularr slots L37 through their walls. The caps .are retained in roperative position on' the shaft ends byv stop screws 535 exvdraught openings through` them gradually .diminish .as they arereturned to their fully closed position. These @2113s control the quan n titv` of v,draught air which 4may be discharged from the inner edge'ofthe fuel-chute valve into the combustion chamber. yHandle-39 has yoke L39 at the end of its shank which embraces shaft and is pivotally fastened thereto by bolt 40 through said shaft and yoke. Said. handle is provided with blade 639 which isV engageable in any one ofthe notches. in segmental rack a40 disposed on the'side wall of the burner for this object con.- centric with the axis of shaft 35. Preferably the position of bolt 40 is closer to the burner wall than the center of gravity of the handle may approach, thus causing the bladetore.- main in engagement till purposely removed. The handle may be swung outward on bolt 40 to pass the teeth of rack L40 when desiring a new engagement. The position of the han,- dle in oscillation on the axis ofthe valve hub 32 determines the position of said valve.y

Fuel-chute bafe 41 is engaged between arms a38, L38 and 538 on hub 38 and bolted to said middler arm Z238 by bolt 42 extended through registering holes in said platev and middle arm. Hub 38 is fastened to shafts 45 and 46 which are extended in the ends thereyof and fastened thereto by bolts w and L46 extended through registering holes iny said huh'and shafts. Said shafts are mounted in bearings in the side walls of the burner to dis-pose said hub within the same close to the front ywall and the top thereof. On the lower end of baille 41 at the edges thereof are slide- Ways (L41, L41 in which is lengagedffor reciprocation baffle grate 43 havingl fingers L43 and a lug on its upper end on one-corner at f 543 to bear against the upper end of'one of slideways x41 and prevent the dismounting of said grate from the baffle plate. Said baffie grate may be extended to dotted arc @43, to its full-line position or fully withdrawn to its dotted-'line position at 43', with notch (Z43 in lug 043 on the upper edge of the' grate engaged byV eye hook 44 which is engaged on the extended end of bolt 42. Dotted arc Z141 indicates the path of the .lower end of baille 41 inl oscillation., i

Handle 47 has yoke @47 on the end of its shank to embrace the outer end of shaft 45 to which it is pivoted by bolt 48r extended through registering holes in said shaft and yoke. Handle 47 lhas blade Z247 to engage any one of the notches in arcuate rack49 which is disposed on one of the side walls of the burner for that purpose concentric with the axis of shaft 45. Preferably bolt 48 is closer to the burner wall than is the center of gravityv of the handle and said blade will remain in engagement in the rack till purposely removed therefrom. Handle 47 'may be swungkon bolt 48 to disengage it'from the rack for reengagement at another notch. The position in oscillation ofhandl'e 47 on shaft 45 determines the position in oscillation of baffle plate 41 and baffle grat-e 43 on the axis of hub 38.y

Baile plate 50 is fastened on the rear of V:for thesecondary combustion occurring in Y part ofthe casing Aof said opening -at 51;,to

prctectfuelpassing through said opening from the high vtemperature to` which the lower part of said casing may attain. Inoperation: It is assumed that lhopperlS contains sawdust, or Vmore-coarsely comininuted fuel, which occupies the'space withinthe combustion chamber betweenyair nozzie 32" and baiiieand grate 4l, 43 .and on top ofv gratey 26fwith 'its vtop surface inclined downward from. the edge of4 the valveto grate vbridge d26.. It ispreferred that the slope-'from the air nozzle tothe bridge be maintained nearly "to the topof the bridge and adjustments vin grate, bafie and nozzle arelma-de with this in view. Combustion is startediinthe fuel and continues on thev surface of said vslope fed by bottom air through grates 26 and 43 and top air through nozzle 322 The volume ofl bottom k,air is controlled byidraft door 22, slide'23 thereon and slide 24 above. yThe volume of top air entering thronghthe nozzle is controlled by draught i ica-ps S37; H'These controls are adjusted to proinotelor diminish the combustion as desired.

It is-desirable4 tomaintain thev rear end ofY 'the grate near bridge 26 Vcovered with fuel and. the rateof fuel ii'ow into the burner is controlledwith this in view. All of the fuel now'passes between the nozzle. and the bailie andY these `are adjusted by moving handles 39\and'47.to provide'the required space between ythese controls bearing in mindv that the'rate offinliow ofv draught air alsopmust bef controlled inl conjunction withu the control of the How of the fuel to secure the desiredamount of heat and maintain grate 26, to thel rear of grate 43, coveredwith fuel'. Combustion due to the passage of bottom air through theV fuel may be much augmented by the flow of top air from the lower edge of the valve, and the distribution of this vtop air fully across the fire'box promotes evenly distributed burning. The area of con'iiagration is beneath semivault 20 and proximate to the'axis thereof and the heat from the burning is caught-up by thevault and reected back to the burning area to increase the intensity of the burning till the Vreverberatory effect -products temperatures suilicientto burnthe primary gases of com` r'burning areav and the vault.

vte'riorinto the combustion chamber proper,

that Yis, that part Vof the repotbetween the I supply as much air as is neededl for primary combustion, in addition to that which passes through the fuel,. through.nozzle conduits 37 and also l through'these conduits is supplied top air poker may beeXt-ended between fingers a43 of baille grate y43 and the topof the grate raked therewith. Also, valve 32, (L33 may be retained in its position at .0533?" and baille 4l.retained iny its position at 41,'thus closing theY fuel 'chute outlet,'when grates 26, L26 may be lowered for more completecleaning; or, if desired, be removedfrom the firel box through door opening 14.v Ashesmay be removed from ashpit9 with a shovel inserted between the elevated Vend of grate 26, y05.26 and the frontv endof the ashpit, when door 16 and front grate 31- stand open. Y v.

- For operating by hand stoking grate 26, 0,26 is lowered to its horizontal position and rbaffle'tl is placed in its positionat 4l with grate 43 fully withdrawnand engaged by hook 44. Hopper 18.` is yremoved and door 17 placed; in its position at 17e thus closing fuelopening l5. p Thefuel may be passed in by usingl a shovelvfthrough,opening in which case bai1e41 maybe usedunder control of handle 47fto' aidin placing thel fuel evenly. on the rear endof the grate. vl/Vhen stoking by hand through open door 1,6 balile 4l had again better be usedunder handle controlto prevent smoke from-the rebox passing out. through` the upper part of door opening 14. v

When using a slow-burning fuel' on the horizontal grate it had better be placed in itspositicn at 26 which allows draught air to enter the ashpit through the opening between the front end of the ,grate and the front end of the ashpit. Combustion then mayproeeed aided by air passing upward' through the grateand alsoover the top of the fuel which is admittedthrough draught openings in doorl, and alsoby air through air nozzle i 32, L33 admitted through slots @37 in caps 37. When using a vfree-burning.fuel grates 26, (126 had better be at 26A,1closing the ashpit to draught airand promotingcombustion by bottom Vair passing over thetop ofv the fuel from the front of the firebox aided by top air from air nozzle 32, (133. In pracf tice it has beenk found that,.when' hand stok- 'ing is used, the position of thejair nozzle at 32, 0633" is very useful vfor thet'op airis introduced directly into the hottest part ofthe combustion chamber and also the valve :serves the further purpose' of a balilete reflect heat down on'the burning,-fuel.Y'V ln'pr'acticgfwith ,J

the grates at 26 very fine coal dust hasA been completely consumed with efficiency.

s This burner is well adapted for burning wood With the grates at 26". But it is even better suited for wood Vburning with grates 26, L26 removed from the iirebox and the pit 'filled with ashes to the level yof the ashpit wall. r y

Having thus disclosed my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,*j

kl. In a fuel burner in combination, a firebox having a fuelchute opening therein, a bali'le plate mounted for oscillation on one side of said fuel opening in said flrebox, means external to said firebox connected with said baiiie plate to control the movements thereof, a fuel-chute valve mounted within ."aid firebox for oscillation on the other side of said fuel opening, and means external to said firebox connected with Vsaid valve to control the movements thereof.

2. In avfuel burner in combination, a firebox having a fuel opening therein, a baffle plate mounted foroscillation in said irebox on one side of said fuel opening, a baiile grate mounted on said baffle plate for longitudinal reciprocationas an extension thereof, means external to said firebox connected with said baille plate to control the movements thereof, a fuel-chute valve mounted within said firebox for oscillation on the other sideof said fuel'opening, and means external to said firebox connected with said valve to control the movements thereof.

In a. fuel burner incombination, a firebox having a fuel opening therein, a hollow fuel valve mounted for oscillation within said firebox on one side of said fuel opening, controllable draught-air conduits external to said frebox connected to said hollow7 valve connected with said hollow valve to conduct draught air` into said irebox and deliver the same beneath said vault, and means external to said firebox connected with said valve to c control the movements thereof..

5. In a fuel burner in combination, a firebox having a fuel opening'and also yhaving an outlet flue opening through the Walls thereof, a grate mounted for reciprocation and oscillation in said firebox, a baffle plate mountedfor oscillation in said frebox on one side of said fuel opening, and a baffle grate mounted for reciprocation on said baf` fle plate asy an extension thereof to contact with said grate when extended.

6. In a fuel burner in combination, a fire-` box having a fuel opening also having an outlet flue opening through the walls thereof, a grate mounted for reciprocation and oscillation in said rebox beneath said fuel opening and proximate to said outlet flue opening, a baiiie plate mounted for oscillation n said firebox on one side of said fuel opening, a baille .grate mounted for reciprocation on said baffle plate to contact with said grate when extended, and a fuel-chute valve mounted for oscillation on the other side of said fuel opening adapted to contact with said baiiie plate in oscillation.

7. In a fuel burner in combination, afirebox having a top fuel opening at the front thereof and a gas flue opening at the rear thereof, a grate in the frebox, means to ymount the grate on a rear horizontal transverse axis for oscillation and for longitudinal reciprocation between said openings, afuel baille mounted for oscillation on a transverse axis in front of the fuel opening to contact with the front end of the grate, a combined draught-air nozzle and fuel valve mounted for oscillation on a transverse axis adjacent and at the rear of the fuel opening to cooperate with the fuel baffle in fuel-feed control and conduct draught air into the firebox, conduit means to connect the nozzle with the external air, externally controllable means to oscillate the combined draught-air nozzle and fuel valve, and externally controllable means to oscillate the fuel baile. DAVID E. LAIN. 

